Interlocking optical fiber

Abstract

An optical fiber includes an outer periphery formed into a shape that configures the fiber to interlock with the other fibers with complementary shapes. Methods and systems for fabricating such interlocking fibers are also disclosed. In one example, a method includes drawing a first optical fiber from a preform and forming an outer periphery of the first optical fiber into a shape that configures the first optical fiber to be interlocked with a second optical fiber comprising an outer periphery formed into a shape that is complementary to the shape of the first optical fiber.

1 . A method comprising:
 drawing a first optical fiber from a preform; and   forming an outer periphery of the first optical fiber into a shape that configures the first optical fiber to be interlocked with a second optical fiber comprising a complementary outer periphery shape.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising interlocking one or more optical fibers and the first optical fiber to form an array of fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the array of fibers comprises at least one of a one or two-dimensional array of fibers. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shape of the first optical fiber comprises at least one of a tongue and groove shape, a curvilinear shape comprising a concave side generally opposing a convex side, a star comprising a plurality of points, or a plurality of grooves distributed circumferentially around the periphery of the fiber, wherein portions of the periphery between two grooves forms a peak. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising interlocking the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber by at least one of receiving the tongue of the first optical fiber in a groove of the second optical fiber or receiving a tongue of the second optical fiber in the groove of the first optical fiber. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising interlocking the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber by at least one of receiving the convex side of the first optical fiber in a concave side of the second optical fiber or receiving a convex side of the second optical fiber in the concave side of the first optical fiber. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the shape of the second optical fiber comprises a star comprising a plurality of points, the method further comprising interlocking the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber by at least one of receiving one point of the first optical fiber between two points of the second optical fiber or receiving one point of the second optical fiber between two points of the first optical fiber. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the shape of the second optical fiber comprises a plurality of grooves distributed circumferentially around the outer periphery of the fiber, wherein portions of the outer periphery between two grooves forms a peak, the method further comprising interlocking the first optical fiber with the second optical fiber by at least one of receiving a peak of the first optical fiber in a groove of the second optical fiber or receiving a peak of the second optical fiber in a groove of the first optical fiber. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising interlocking the first optical fiber to the second optical fiber by at least one of threading a peak of the second optical fiber into a groove of the first optical fiber or threading a peak of the first optical fiber into a groove of the second optical fiber. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a coating to the first optical fiber, and wherein forming the outer periphery of the first optical fiber into the shape that configures the first optical fiber to be interlocked with the second optical fiber comprises forming an outer periphery of the coating of the first optical fiber into a shape that configures the first optical fiber to be interlocked with the second optical fiber. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising curing the coating applied to the first optical fiber, and wherein forming an outer periphery of the coating of the first optical fiber into a shape that configures the first optical fiber to be interlocked with the second optical fiber comprises cutting the outer periphery of the coating of the first optical fiber into the shape that configures the first optical fiber to be interlocked with the second optical fiber. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a coating to the first optical fiber, and wherein an outer periphery of the coating of the first optical fiber assumes the shape of the outer periphery of the first optical fiber. 
     
     
         13 . An optical fiber comprising:
 a core;   a cladding surrounding the core; and   a coating surrounding the cladding,   wherein at least one of the core, the cladding, or the coating comprises an outer periphery formed in a shape that configures the optical fiber to be interlocked with another optical fiber comprising a complementary outer periphery shape.   
     
     
         14 . The optical fiber of  claim 13 , wherein the shape of the optical fiber comprises at least one of a tongue or a groove such that at least one of the tongue or groove of the optical fiber is configured to be engage with a respective groove or tongue of another optical fiber. 
     
     
         15 . The optical fiber of  claim 13 , wherein the shape of the optical fiber comprises a curvilinear shape comprising a concave side generally opposite a convex side such that at least one of the convex side of the optical fiber is configured to be received in a concave side of another optical fiber or the concave side of the optical fiber is configured to receive a convex side of another optical fiber. 
     
     
         16 . The optical fiber of  claim 13 , wherein the shape of the optical fiber comprises a star comprising a plurality of points such that at least one of one point of the optical fiber is configured to be received between two points of another star shaped optical fiber or two points of the optical fiber are configured to receive one point of another star shaped optical fiber. 
     
     
         17 . The optical fiber of  claim 13 , wherein the shape of the optical fiber comprises a plurality of grooves distributed circumferentially around the periphery of the fiber and wherein portions of the periphery between two grooves forms a peak such that at least one of a peak of the optical fiber is configured to be received in a groove of another complementary shaped optical fiber or a groove of the optical fiber is configured to receive a peak of another complementary shaped optical fiber. 
     
     
         18 . The optical fiber of  claim 13 , further comprising a second optical fiber comprising an outer periphery shape complementary to the shape of the outer periphery of the first optical fiber, wherein the second optical fiber is interlocked with the first optical fiber to form an optical fiber assembly. 
     
     
         19 . A system for manufacturing optical fibers, the system comprising:
 a preform from which an optical fiber is drawn; and   a die comprising an orifice through which the optical fiber is drawn and by which an outer periphery of the optical fiber is formed into a shape that configures the optical fiber to be interlocked with another optical fiber comprising a complementary outer periphery shape.